What is the role of ultrasound gel during examinations?

Ultrasound gel plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of ultrasound examinations by eliminating air between the transducer and the skin. When conducting an ultrasound, the transducer needs to make direct contact with the skin to ensure that sound waves can efficiently travel into the body and reflect back to the transducer to create images. Air is a poor conductor of sound compared to liquid; even a small amount of air can disrupt the transmission of sound waves, leading to poor image quality or even no image at all. By using ultrasound gel, which is specifically formulated to match the acoustic impedance of human tissue, it fills any gaps and prevents the formation of air pockets, thus enhancing the transmission of sound waves. This ensures that the ultrasound images obtained are clear and accurate.